Semiconductor and software design company Arm Holdings signed a deal with the Malaysian government in March 2025, wherein the latter would pay US$250 million to the former over ten years for the provision of licenses and technical know-how to local companies. However, three non-government organizations have alleged that there was financial misconduct relating to the agreement, with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) seizing MYR 5 million or around US$1.27 million from a safehouse owned by a major political figure, according to Digitimes. Former Economy Minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, who spearheaded the negotiation with Arm, is also being linked to the investigation, although Ramli claims that the move is politically motivated.
